What is Amazon's work style assessment?
When it comes to finding the right job, many people believe that the perfect match is out there. However, a recent study suggests that the key to finding the right job may be in understanding your own work style.
Many companies use personality assessments these days as part of the interviewing process, and Amazon is no different – going so far as to create its own bespoke work style assessment, which virtually all potential employees must take.
Amazon's work style assessment is designed to measure how well an individual works under pressure and how well they handle stress. It also assesses how motivated an individual is and how much they enjoy their work.
The assessment takes into account the individual's personality type and their ability to take direction from others.
What kind of questions can you expect in Amazon's work style assessment?
Amazon's work style assessment is an online questionnaire designed to help you determine your work style preferences. The questionnaire is based on Amazon's leadership principles, asking a variety of questions about how you like to work and what motivates you. It takes about 10-20 minutes to complete and then provides feedback about the best way for you to work based on your preferences.
The questionnaire consists of two parts: the first part asks about your preferences for working alone or with others, taking breaks, and dealing with distractions. The second part asks about your preferences for tasks such as managing time, organizing information, and making decisions.
The questions are grouped into four main categories: task-oriented, people-oriented, structure and pace. You will be given a pair of statements and you will be asked to choose the one that represents you the most; there is no neutral option as in most other personality tests.
After completing the questionnaire, you'll receive feedback about the best way for you to work based on your preferences. This feedback includes tips on how to optimize your work style, plus suggestions for tools and resources that can help you work in the way that's best for you.
Example of task-oriented question:
How do you prefer to complete a task?
"I like to have a lot of instructions at once" or "I like to figure things out as I go"
Example of people-oriented question:
How do you prefer to receive feedback?
"I like frequent feedback" or "I like to give and receive feedback after projects are completed"
Example of structure question:
How do you prefer your workday structured?
"I like lots of change" or "I like more stability"
Example of pace question:
How do you prefer to take action?
"I like to take my time and think things through before taking action" or "I like to jump into things without thinking too much about them"
Amazon's Leadership Principles
One of the most distinctive things about Amazon is its leadership principles. They're not a set of rules, but rather a guide for how Amazon employees should work together. The principles are constantly evolving, and new ones are added all the time.
If you want to be successful in the Amazon recruitment process, you need to be aware of Amazon's leadership principles. These principles guide how Amazon leaders make decisions and interact with employees.
Understanding them can give you an insight into what it's like to work at Amazon and what's expected of its employees. They are:
Customer obsession: Amazon is always looking for ways to put the customer first. It's willing to experiment and take risks to find new ways to serve customers.
Ownership mentality: every Amazon employee should feel like they own their work and are responsible for its outcome. Leaders at Amazon encourage this mentality by setting the example themselves. They emphasize the importance of taking ownership of one's work and contributing to the team effort.
Invent and simplify: creating new ways of doing things and making things simpler for customers. There are a lot of ways that Amazon lives this principle out. For example, Amazon Prime was created to make it easier for customers to get their shopping done quickly and without having to go to different shops.
Are right, a lot: the company stresses the importance of leaders being right, a lot. This is accomplished by staying focused on the customer and working to continually improve their experience. Leaders at Amazon are also expected to be "obsessed" with data and to use it to make decisions.
Learn and be curious: employees are expected to be curious and willing to learn. When interviewing for a job at Amazon, they will ask you how you have pursued knowledge in the past and what new things you have learned recently. Leaders at Amazon are always learning and expanding their knowledge base. This helps them better understand their employees and what they need to be successful.
Hire and develop the best: when it comes to Amazon's leadership principles, leaders need to "Hire and Develop the Best." To do this, they need to be able to assess their employees' work styles. This is important because it allows them to put people in the right positions and create a productive work environment.
Insist on the highest standards: this means that Amazon employees are expected to put in their best effort and produce high-quality work. Leaders at Amazon make sure that everyone understands what is expected of them and hold themselves and their team members accountable.
Think big: being a successful leader at Amazon requires confidence and quick thinking. You will also need to have the ability to encourage innovation, inspire others, and make swift decisions.
Bias for action: this principle is based on the idea that in a fast-moving world, waiting for all the information to make a decision is often not an option. Bias for action helps Amazon move quickly and decisively, which is essential for a company that is constantly innovating. It also allows Amazon to be nimble in its responses to competitors' moves.
Frugality: Amazon is always looking for ways to save money so they can reinvest it in their customers and products. They're also willing to make tough decisions to stay profitable.
Earn trust: this principle means that Amazon employees should always put the needs of customers first and be honest and transparent with them. Amazon believes that if employees focus on earning the trust of their customers, they will be successful.
Dive deep: think about what the long-term consequences will be for your decisions and take the time to fully understand the problem before trying to come up with a solution. You should also look for ways to add value even when you're not specifically asked to do so.
Have backbone; disagree and commit: "have backbone" means being bold and standing up for what you believe, even if it's unpopular. "Disagree and commit" implies disagreeing with others respectfully, then committing to the best solution. These principles help Amazon employees make quick, informed decisions by allowing them to debate different solutions and commit to the best one.
Deliver results: you must be able to prove your work is valuable by delivering results. Employees at Amazon are held to high standards, and they are expected to be productive and efficient.
Strive to be earth's best employer: the company recognizes that a great workplace culture is essential to attracting and retaining top talent. Their employees are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve, and they are committed to creating a place where everyone is proud to come to work every day.
Success and scale bring broad responsibility: as Amazon has scaled, it has become increasingly apparent that the company cannot just focus on its own success, but must also take into account the ways in which its growth impacts employees, customers, and the environment.
Tips on how to pass
Read the questions carefully and pay attention to the details. This will help you understand what is being asked of you.
Don't rush through the test. Taking your time to answer each question accurately will help ensure that you get the most accurate results possible.
Always keep in mind Amazon's leadership principles. Your answers will show hiring managers if you have what it takes to integrate into Amazon's culture.
Remember that the goal is to show your best self. You don't want to give the wrong impression or come across as someone you're not.
Practice other types of personality tests for a more in-depth look at your personality. There are a variety of assessments available online that can help you learn more about your work style and where your strengths and weaknesses may lie.
What to do after taking the assessment
When you finish the assessment, Amazon provides you with a report that breaks down your work style and preferences. This report can help you identify what type of work environments and positions are the best fit for you.
There are a few steps that you can take to explore the options that are available to you based on your assessment results:
Determine if Amazon is the right workplace for you. Now that you've learned about different Amazon management styles and what your own preferences are, you can decide whether you want to continue with the hiring process or not.
Review your top skills and interests. The report will highlight areas where you have strengths and preferences. Research roles at Amazon or other companies that might be a good fit for you.
Explore job openings at Amazon. The report includes a list of job openings that match your skills and interests. Use this list to explore career paths at Amazon or find other companies that have similar roles.
Reflect on what went well and what didn't go well during the assessment. What were your strengths? What were your weaknesses? What could you have done better? Use this information to set goals for yourself and work towards improving yourself professionally.
For more detailed information about the recruitment process and practice exercises that will help you prepare for Amazon's assessments, check out our Amazon tests page.
